International consultant on building national capacity for modeling school-based assistive technologies, equipment and devices for inclusive education

Consultant Teaching & Training Programme & Policy

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, education!

In the Republic of Uzbekistan the lack of inclusive learning environments, including limited availability of inclusive technologies that support accessibility for students with disabilities, is consistently reported as the main challenge to ensuring full access to quality education, with a large majority of children with disabilities being excluded from education. At national level UNICEF is leading the development of a national roadmap and guidelines for inclusive education, closely collaborating with Development Partners and the Government of Uzbekistan. This process is informed by the modelling of inclusive preschools and schools where new standards/requirements and mechanisms for inclusive education will be tested in order to inform the review of a new legislation and standards.

In this context, UNICEF is currently supporting the Ministry of Pre-school and School Education in the modeling of new practices and assistive technology for inclusive education in fifty schools in all regions of the country. The modelling will focus on ensuring that all students including children with disabilities are supported with pedagogy that effectively uses assistive technology, devices, equipment and materials for learning in safe and accessible environment. The joint programme will facilitate the testing of solutions for the development of a catalogue for assistive technology and school equipment, which is currently missing in the country. The country catalogue will include items to be procured based on international standards that will benefit not only students with different types of disabilities, but also the learning of all students in a mainstreamed teaching and learning environment. Identified schools will be further supported to become model inclusive and digital schools, upgrading the learning experiences of universal design for learning for all students including those with disabilities, and further advancing the national digital learning agenda. This will include necessary upgrading of available infrastructure against developed accessibility check lists based on universal design for school entry, ramps, signage, doors, toilets, among others.

In this regard, UNICEF’s Education section requires the services of an individual international consultant to coordinate and support a national technical team in building national capacity of the Ministry of Pre-school and School Education for modeling school-based assistive technologies, equipment and devices for flexible, equitable, and inclusive digital learning that support the learning outcomes of all children. The consultant will be further collaborating with UNICEF Regional Office, and UNICEF Supply Division as well as UNICEF appointed internal expert working on digital learning and device. Further collaboration will be ensured with other Development Partners (e.g. UNESCO; USAID; JICA; and others) to avoid duplication and ensure a coordinated work within the project.

Purpose: The International Consultant will technically lead the process of modelling school-based assistive technologies, devices and equipment for inclusive education.

Description of the Assignment and Tasks: The assignment is expected to start by end of August 2024 and end in January 2025.

The Consultant is expected to:

1. Support in conducting a situation analysis of functional and learning needs of primary grades students, teaching and learning practices in model schools to inform the development of a toolkit and catalogue for assistive technology and school equipment that will benefit not only students with different types of disabilities, but also the learning of all students in a mainstreamed teaching and learning environment.

2. Design an action plan and capacity development programme for introducing and sustainable use of assistive technology, devices, equipment, and materials to support and accelerate inclusive education in safe and accessible learning environment in project model schools.

3.Provide technical guidance and facilitate joint work of other engaged international and national experts to ensure a whole school approach in modelling inclusive education in fifty project model schools.

Management International Consultant will work under direct supervision of Education Specialist and in consultation with national partners and government officials.

Tasks - Deliverables - Estimated timeframe

1. Situation analysis of functional and learning needs of primary grades students, teaching and learning practices in model schools to inform the development of a catalogue for assistive technology and school equipment

Home-based

1) In close consultation with the Ministry of Pre-school and School Education and national partners, design methodology for a situation analysis in model schools including assessment of functional and learning needs of primary grades students, observations of teaching and learning practices in model schools to inform the development of a toolkit and catalogue for assistive technology and school equipment that will benefit not only students with different types of disabilities, but also the learning of all students in a mainstreamed teaching and learning environment - Methodology for the situation analysis - 29 August – 8 September 2024 (10 w.d.)

First visit to Uzbekistan

2) Finalise the methodology of the SitAn and tools for data collection based on field-testing in selected schools. This will take into consideration human-centered design approach and direct consultation of Organisations of People with Disabilities, Parents, and Children with Disabilities - Final data collection tools and guidelines for data collection - 18-24 September (final dates will be confirmed based on availability) (5 w.d.)

3) Develop guidelines and train a national technical team to be tasked by MOPSE in coordination with UNICEF on school-based data collection in line with developed methodology and tools - Training on data collection - 25-27 September 2024 (5 w.d.) (final dates will be confirmed based on availability)

Home-based

4) Based on the collected evidence, develop a detailed report on the situation analysis in in 50 project schools in relation to functional and learning needs of primary grades students as well as teaching and learning practices - Final report of the situation analysis in fifty project schools incorporating comments from UNICEF and Ministry of Pre-school and School Education - 20 October – 20 November 2024 (20 w.d.)

5) In close collaboration with Ministry of Pre-school and School Education Develop an initial catalogue for procuring assistive devices, technologies and equipment for further modelling new pedagogy approaches in project schools, further ensuring collaboration with UNICEF Regional Office, UNICEF Supply Division, and UNICEF Country Office appointed experts on digital learning and technical specifications of assistive devices - Technical inputs to an initial catalogue for procuring assistive devices, technologies and equipment - 20 November – 30 November 2024 (10 w.d.)

2. Action plan and capacity development programme for introducing assistive technology, devices, equipment, and materials to support and accelerate inclusive education in safe and accessible schools

Second visit to Uzbekistan

6) Conduct meetings and a workshop with key national stakeholders to develop an action plan for introducing assistive technology, devices, equipment, and materials for inclusive education in 50 project schools - Draft action plan - 6-15 December 2024 (15. w.d.)

Home-based

7) Working closely with the national technical team, prepare methodological guidelines, training materials, handouts, training evaluation forms and agenda of the training on introducing assistive technology, devices, equipment, and materials to support and accelerate inclusive education. Developed training materials is expected to be reviewed and scaled up as part of national TPD system - Methodological guidelines, training materials, handouts, training evaluation forms and agenda of the training - 16 December 2024 – 10 January 2025 (15 w.d.)

Third visit to Uzbekistan

8) Train the national technical team on delivery capacity development programme for schools and establishing a network of a community of practice that keeps exchanging experiences and helps to develop national standards and ensure sustainable application of assistive technology, devices, equipment, and materials to support and accelerate inclusive education - Training report - 10-25 January 2025 (15 w.d.)

9) Prepare a final report of the assignment - Final report - 25 - 30 January 2025 (5 w.d.)

TOTAL: 100 working days

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced University degree in education, psychology or related field.
• At least 15 years of professional experience in education, preferably in school education, including work related experience in inclusive education, school improvement, and teacher training systems.
• At least 10 years of professional experience in transforming education system for disability and vulnerability inclusion.
• Professional experience and expert knowledge in designing curricula, teaching and learning materials, with a focus on student-centred pedagogy and UDL
• Excellent analytical and writing skills.
• Excellent written and spoken skills in English.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

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Added 4 hours ago - Updated 4 hours ago - Source: unicef.org